Politics is an art of convenience rather than conviction, they say. If you have any doubts on this statement, head to Pala and see how the argument is playing out on the ground.
Kappen VS Jose
Electioneering is peaking in Pala even before the official announcement of candidates by the key political fronts. Pala's incumbent MLA Mani C Kappen has started door-to-door campaign and family meetings.
Kappen who won the 2019 bypoll as a Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate is representing the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) this time.
Kappen quit the Left front recently as it became clear that the LDF would be allotting the seat to new entrant Kerala Congress (M), led by Jose K Mani. Kappen won the Pala seat in his fourth bid in 2019. Before that, he had lost to K M Mani, Jose K Mani's father, on three occasions.
For him, contesting against Jose K Mani is all about staying relevant in politics and retaining the seat, which he terms as his 'heart'.
The CPM-led LDF is just short of announcing the candidature of Jose K Mani.
Posters of Jose K Mani have adorned the walls of Pala town, though not to seek votes. The posters are of a march he had taken out recently in the constituency.
Volte face
The CPM's act of accommodating Jose K Mani into the LDF fold was a topic of heated debate in Kerala.
The amount of derision the CPM had showered on K M Mani during the previous UDF rule during the bar bribery scam controversy was afresh in the minds of the people of Kerala even as Jose K Mani was given a red carpet welcome to the LDF.
The CPM braved all questions of ethics and political integrity with the simple logic that it needed a party like the Kerala Congress (M) in its fold to retain power in the state.
“Kerala Congress had been a part of the UDF for 40 years. When it severed the ties with that front and came to us, we convinced each party member and their families about the need to have such a party with us to take forward the LDF's development programmes. We also carried out the organisational programmes necessary for that. We have explained to the party cadre as well as the impartial voters that it's necessary to have the Kerala Congress with us to ensure a continuation of the LDF rule,” CPM Pala area committee secretary Lalichan told Onmanorama.
Jaya Prakash, a local committee secretary, said the party cadre were also sensitised about the need to expand the LDF to check the growth of the BJP.
Asked how the party was prepared to answer probable questions over its changed stance on the bar bribery allegations, the CPM leader said they did not have to face such questions even during the campaign for the local body elections.
At the state level, even though, the party's strategy was to peddle a narrative that the bar bribery scam was hatched by the Congress leaders to keep Mani under their control.
Jose K Mani's march
A few days ago, Jose K Mani completed a foot-march through the Pala constituency. The march was a pre-election campaign as well as an image building exercise.
The idea of the march was mooted by the LDF's district committee.
“Mani sir (KM Mani) was familiar with each voter in the constituency. He used to attend people's phone calls and pat on others' shoulder every time he spoke to the people. Jose K Mani does not share such a warmth with the people and there are people who feel that he is not as approachable as his father. The foot march was aimed at allaying such doubts,” a local Kerala Congress leader said.
A CPM source said the march was also aimed at making Jose K Mani familiar among the party cadre.
Kerala Congress (M) leader Biju Palooppadavil said the march was a huge success though it was organised at a short notice.
“It turned out to be a proof of the unity among the LDF activists. It gave us immense confidence,” he said.
The CPM has affirmed its commitment to the Kerala Congress (M) by installing a life-size statue of K M Mani in Pala town. Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan unveiled the statue recently.
The CPM and Kerala Congress (M) claim that Jose K Mani has the support of the Catholic Church, the biggest vote bank in the constituency.
So Pala is now a do-or-die battle for Jose K Mani as well as Mani C Kappen.
